Trio of area restaurants serving up octopus

Published: Monday, August 4, 2014 at 1:24 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, August 4, 2014 at 1:24 p.m.

The octopus is wrapping its suckered tentacles around Wilmington-area menus.

While its cousin the squid is featured at nearly every other eatery as fried calamari, the eight-armed mollusk has mostly been limited to a spot in area sushi bars, where it's called tako, and occasionally appear as specials from progressive chefs tracking the latest dining trends. But with the opening of Fat Greek Taverna, The Golden Chicken and the forthcoming Ceviche's, the edible invertebrates have earned a permanent spot on the bill of fare at a trio of new restaurants.

"You can't have a Greek restaurant unless you have octopus," said Sam Karos, owner of the Fat Greek (6309 Market St.).

Peruvian eatery The Golden Chicken (417 S. College Road) features octopus in a dish called The Kitchen Sink Ceviche, where it's joined by clams, fish, mussels, shrimp and squid. While technically raw, ceviches find seafood cured in a marinade of citrus juices, resulting in a texture that more closely resembles cooked fish.

Ceviche's (7120 Wrightsville Ave.) owner Hunter Tiblier is gambling on the delicacy's growing popularity. Tiblier's recipe reflects his Panamanian heritage, and he's eager to introduce his spin on the dish to local diners.

"It's new to people, and they're a little hesitant it first," he said. "The texture it a little tougher than seafood like shrimp or fish. It's firmer, like conch."

Catch as catch can

Octopuses occupy an unusual position as a relatively abundant creature in local waterways with a small but passionate following. With no commercial fishery to speak of, nearly all octopuses found in area seafood markets are pulled in by fishermen targeting other species.

"Last year was very uncommon. We caught 30-plus just as bycatch, mostly in crab pots," Cape Fear Coast Seafood owner Brian Hepler explained, noting that this year has been less abundant. "They go quickly. I've got a lot of people look for them, and it's disappointing that I haven't been able to produce."

The jury's out on sustainability, in part because octopus remains largely untracked. Whole Foods Market made headlines in 2012 by pulling octopus and several other seafood items from their fish counters amid scarcity concerns, but the Monterey Bay Aquarium's respected Seafood Watch website urges consumers to seek out American or Spanish-caught options over those from more heavily fished waters in Asia: "Like other cephalopods, octopuses are not considered vulnerable to over-fishing since they grow fast and reproduce at a young age."

Hepler rarely has an octopus on display inside his tidy Porters Neck shop, which is currently in the throes of expanding into a full restaurant, having recently added an outdoor beer garden. With a list of high-end private chefs and immigrants more accustomed to eating octopus on standby for any that come in, his are usually spoken for well before they hit the ice in the display case.

Massaged, or just beaten

Despite a small but robust demand, Karos said a phone call to fishmongers like Seaview Crab Company can secure a specimen caught in area waters – if not fresh, at least in frozen form – with the added benefit of being pre-cleaned by professionals.

Notoriously tough and rubbery if handled improperly, seafood-loving cultures around the world have developed idiosyncratic techniques for massaging the beast into a softer state. In the documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi," the Japanese sushi chef Jiro Ono tasks an underling with massaging fresh octopus for 40 to 50 minutes. The Japanese also pound it with a peeled daikon radish, a technique that's tame by Hellenistic standards.

"In Greece, when they catch a live octopus, they grab it by the tentacles and beat it against a rock by the sea at least 50 times," Karos said.

However you chose to handle it, there are plenty of nutritional reasons to sneak a few suckers into your diet. An exceptionally lean source of protein, a three-ounce portion of cooked octopus delivers hefty doses of iron and selenium in addition to nearly 500 percent of the recommended daily dose of vitamin B12.

"It's a natural food that comes from the ocean," Karos said. "No preservatives. No chemicals. And it's not expensive."

Athina’s braised octopus

Athina Karos rules the kitchen at the Fat Greek Taverna. She’s been cooking octopus since she and husband Sam opened a restaurant in 1982. While octopus is traditionally grilled quickly over charcoal in Greece, she says this tender approach works well in home or restaurant kitchens.

1 octopus weighing between 2 and 3 lbs, cleaned by fishmonger

1½ cups red wine vinegar

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Place the octopus in a large pot and add water to cover. Pour in one cup of the vinegar, which Karos says helps tenderize the meat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for three hours until fork tender. Remove octopus and refrigerate to chill.

Once cold, cut octopus into bite-sized portions and dress with oil, remaining vinegar, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges for each diner to squeeze over their portion.

<p>The octopus is wrapping its suckered tentacles around Wilmington-area menus. </p><p>While its cousin the squid is featured at nearly every other eatery as fried calamari, the eight-armed mollusk has mostly been limited to a spot in area sushi bars, where it's called tako, and occasionally appear as specials from progressive chefs tracking the latest dining trends. But with the opening of Fat Greek Taverna, The Golden Chicken and the forthcoming Ceviche's, the edible invertebrates have earned a permanent spot on the bill of fare at a trio of new restaurants.</p><p>"You can't have a Greek restaurant unless you have octopus," said Sam Karos, owner of the Fat Greek (6309 Market St.).</p><p>Peruvian eatery The Golden Chicken (417 S. College Road) features octopus in a dish called The Kitchen Sink Ceviche, where it's joined by clams, fish, mussels, shrimp and squid. While technically raw, ceviches find seafood cured in a marinade of citrus juices, resulting in a texture that more closely resembles cooked fish.</p><p>Ceviche's (7120 Wrightsville Ave.) owner Hunter Tiblier is gambling on the delicacy's growing popularity. Tiblier's recipe reflects his Panamanian heritage, and he's eager to introduce his spin on the dish to local diners.</p><p>"It's new to people, and they're a little hesitant it first," he said. "The texture it a little tougher than seafood like shrimp or fish. It's firmer, like conch."</p><p><b>Catch as catch can</b></p><p>Octopuses occupy an unusual position as a relatively abundant creature in local waterways with a small but passionate following. With no commercial fishery to speak of, nearly all octopuses found in area seafood markets are pulled in by fishermen targeting other species.</p><p>"Last year was very uncommon. We caught 30-plus just as bycatch, mostly in crab pots," Cape Fear Coast Seafood owner Brian Hepler explained, noting that this year has been less abundant. "They go quickly. I've got a lot of people look for them, and it's disappointing that I haven't been able to produce."</p><p>The jury's out on sustainability, in part because octopus remains largely untracked. Whole Foods Market made headlines in 2012 by pulling octopus and several other seafood items from their fish counters amid scarcity concerns, but the Monterey Bay Aquarium's respected Seafood Watch website urges consumers to seek out American or Spanish-caught options over those from more heavily fished waters in Asia: "Like other cephalopods, octopuses are not considered vulnerable to over-fishing since they grow fast and reproduce at a young age." </p><p>Hepler rarely has an octopus on display inside his tidy Porters Neck shop, which is currently in the throes of expanding into a full restaurant, having recently added an outdoor beer garden. With a list of high-end private chefs and immigrants more accustomed to eating octopus on standby for any that come in, his are usually spoken for well before they hit the ice in the display case.</p><p><b>Massaged, or just beaten</b></p><p>Despite a small but robust demand, Karos said a phone call to fishmongers like Seaview Crab Company can secure a specimen caught in area waters – if not fresh, at least in frozen form – with the added benefit of being pre-cleaned by professionals. </p><p>Notoriously tough and rubbery if handled improperly, seafood-loving cultures around the world have developed idiosyncratic techniques for massaging the beast into a softer state. In the documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi," the Japanese sushi chef Jiro Ono tasks an underling with massaging fresh octopus for 40 to 50 minutes. The Japanese also pound it with a peeled daikon radish, a technique that's tame by Hellenistic standards. </p><p>"In Greece, when they catch a live octopus, they grab it by the tentacles and beat it against a rock by the sea at least 50 times," Karos said.</p><p>However you chose to handle it, there are plenty of nutritional reasons to sneak a few suckers into your diet. An exceptionally lean source of protein, a three-ounce portion of cooked octopus delivers hefty doses of iron and selenium in addition to nearly 500 percent of the recommended daily dose of vitamin B12. </p><p>"It's a natural food that comes from the ocean," Karos said. "No preservatives. No chemicals. And it's not expensive." </p><p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9919"><b>Paul Stephen</b></a>: 343-2041</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @pauljstephen</p><h3>Athina's braised octopus</h3>
<p>Athina Karos rules the kitchen at the Fat Greek Taverna. She's been cooking octopus since she and husband Sam opened a restaurant in 1982. While octopus is traditionally grilled quickly over charcoal in Greece, she says this tender approach works well in home or restaurant kitchens.</p><p>1 octopus weighing between 2 and 3 lbs, cleaned by fishmonger</p><p>1½ cups red wine vinegar</p><p>½ cup extra virgin olive oil</p><p>2 cloves garlic</p><p>Salt and pepper to taste</p><p>2 Tbsp chopped parsley</p><p>1 lemon, cut into wedges</p><p>Place the octopus in a large pot and add water to cover. Pour in one cup of the vinegar, which Karos says helps tenderize the meat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for three hours until fork tender. Remove octopus and refrigerate to chill.</p><p>Once cold, cut octopus into bite-sized portions and dress with oil, remaining vinegar, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges for each diner to squeeze over their portion.</p>